Holistic Curriculum
Orientations 8 Characteristics and
3.5 Time Allocation
In order to help students develop a solid foundation of technological knowledge and skills, schools should allocate sufficient curriculum time to the TE KLA at different key stages of schooling. Schools should refer to the Basic Education Curriculum Guide (BECG) (Primary 1 – 6) (2014) and the SECG (Secondary 1 – 6) (2017) in planning the lesson time allocated to the General Studies curriculum at the primary level and the different TE subject curricula at the junior and senior secondary levels.
A summary of the suggested allocation of time is provided below:
• At the primary level, schools can allocate 12% to 15% of the total lesson time to General Studies for each key stage from Primary 1 to 6 (KS1 – 2).
• At the junior secondary level, the TE KLA Curriculum (S1 – 3) accounts for 8%
– 15% of the total lesson time over a course of three years in KS3.
• At the senior secondary level, each of the TE elective subjects of the senior secondary curriculum accounts for 10% to 15% of the total lesson time over a course of three years in KS4.
Schools may vary the percentage of time allocation for different year levels of a key stage as long as the total lesson time falls within the recommended range.
Schools are also reminded that 19% and 8% of the total lesson time is reserved for schools’ flexible use at the primary and junior secondary level respectively.
Flexibility is provided for schools to deploy the flexible time to conduct cross-curricular learning activities such as those for STEM, values education, Basic Law education, Reading across the Curriculum for whole-person development. As for the senior secondary level, 10% to15% of the time allocation is set aside for Other Learning Experiences (OLE). Schools should give due consideration to the overall planning and co-ordination among different KLAs and subjects with flexibility to organise OLE during and outside school hours.
Teachers are encouraged to use the time flexibly to help students attain the learning targets and objectives for the TE curriculum through various learning experiences inside and outside the classroom.
At present, many schools are adopting a subject-based learning approach at the junior secondary through Computer Literacy, Design and Technology, and Home Economics/Technology and Living. Examples of how the lesson time allocated for the TE KLA for KS3 is used for the learning and teaching of these three subjects are provided in Figures 12 - 16.
120
Figure 12 8% of the Total Lesson Time for KS3 (220 hours)
Level
Information and Communication Technology
Materials and Structures
Operations and Manufacturing
Strategies and Management
Systems and Control
Technology and Living
Secondary 1 (minutes)
K1 Computer Systems (310)
K16 Information Processing and Presentation (730)
K4 Structures
& Mechanisms (320)
K5 Tools and Equipment (160)
K6 Production Process (920)
K8 Concepts of System (80)
K9 Application of Systems (80)
K10 Food and Nutrition (300)
K11 Food Preparation and Processing (410)
K12 Fabric and Clothing
Construction (410 )
K13 Fashion and Dress Sense (120)
K14 Family Living (120)
K15 Home Management and Technology (200 ) Secondary 2
(minutes)
K2
Programming Concepts (310)
K16 Information Processing and Presentation (730)
K4 Structures and Mechanisms (600)
K6 Production Process (600)
K8 Concepts of System (40)
K9 Application of Systems (320)
K10 Food and Nutrition (340)
K11 Food Preparation and Processing (310)
K12 Fabric and Clothing
Construction (350 )
K13 Fashion and Dress Sense (140)
K14 Family Living (120)
K15 Home Management and Technology (300) Secondary 3
(minutes)
K2
Programming Concepts (620)
K16 Information Processing and Presentation (420)
K4 Structures and Mechanisms (200)
K6 Production Process (1080)
K7 Business Environments, Operations and Organisations (720)
K8 Concepts of System (40)
K9 Application of Systems (240)
K10 Food and Nutrition (300)
K11 Food Preparation and Processing (340)
K12 Fabric and Clothing
Construction (360 )
K13 Fashion and Dress Sense (140)
K14 Family Living (120)
K15 Home Management and Technology (300)
Total lesson time for Secondary 1 - 3: 220 hours (13200)
121
Figure 13 15% of the Total Lesson Time for KS3 (413 hours)
Level Information and Communication Technology
Materials and Structures
Operations and
Manufacturing
Strategies and Management
Systems and Control
Technology and Living
Secondary 1 (minutes)
K1 Computer Systems (600)
K16
Information Processing and Presentation (1380)
K3 Materials and Resources (320)
K4 Structures and Mechanism (320)
E2 Material Processing (320)
K5 Tools and Equipment (320)
K6 Production Process (1520)
K8 Concepts of System (80)
K9 Application of Systems (80)
K10 Food and Nutrition (500)
K11 Food Preparation and Processing (660)
K12 Fabric and Clothing Construction (620 )
K13 Fashion and Dress Sense (260)
K14 Family Living (120)
K15 Home Management and Technology (560 )
E8 Fabric and Clothing Construction (80)
E 9 Fashion and Dress Sense (80)
E10 Home Management and Technology (80)
122 Level Information and
Communication Technology
Materials and Structures
Operations and
Manufacturing
Strategies and Management
Systems and Control
Technology and Living
Secondary 2 (minutes)
K2
Programming Concepts (480)
K16
Information Processing and Presentation (1200)
E1 Computer Networks (300)
K3 Materials and Resources (200)
K4 Structures and Mechanism (600)
E2 Material Processing (320)
K5 Tools and Equipment (280)
K6 Production Process (1200)
K8 Concepts of System (40)
K9 Application of Systems (320)
K10 Food and Nutrition (500)
K11 Food Preparation and Processing (660)
K12 Fabric and Clothing Construction (600 )
K13 Fashion and Dress Sense (260)
K14 Family Living (120)
K15 Home Management and Technology (580 )
E8 Fabric and Clothing Construction (80)
E 9 Fashion and Dress Sense (80)
E10 Home Management and Technology (80)
123 Level Information and
Communication Technology
Materials and Structures
Operations and
Manufacturing
Strategies and Management
Systems and Control
Technology and Living
Secondary 3 (minutes)
K2
Programming Concepts (1000)
K16
Information Processing and Presentation (680)
E1 Computer Networks (300)
K3 Materials and Resources (120)
K4 Structures and Mechanism (200)
K5 Tools and Equipment (320)
K6 Production Process (1720)
E3 Project Management (320)
K7 Business Environments , Operations and Organisations (720)
E4 Resources Management (210)
E5 Marketing (150)
K8 Concepts of System (40)
K9 Application of Systems (240)
K10 Food and Nutrition (500)
K11 Food Preparation and Processing (660)
K12 Fabric and Clothing Construction (600 )
K13 Fashion and Dress Sense (260)
K14 Family Living (120)
K15 Home Management and Technology (580 )
E8 Fabric and Clothing Construction (80)
E 9 Fashion and Dress Sense (80)
E10 Home Management and Technology (80)
Total Lesson Time for Secondary 1 - 3: 413 hours (24780)
124
Figure 14 Selection of Modules under Computer Literacy and Allocation of Lesson Time
Level 1 period per week/cycle
(about 2.5% of the total curriculum time) (assumes 100 units of lesson time per year)
2 periods per week/cycle (about 5% of the total curriculum time) (assumes 200 units of lesson time per year)
Secondary 1 K1* Computer Systems (30 units)
K16 Information Processing and Presentation (70 units)
K1* Computer Systems (30 units)
K16 Information Processing and Presentation (170 units)
Secondary 2
K2 Programming Concepts (30 units) K16 Information Processing and Presentation
(70 units)
K2 Programming Concepts (50 units) K16 Information Processing and Presentation
(120 units)
E1# Computer Networks (30 units)
Secondary 3
K2: Programming Concepts (60 units) K16* Information Processing and Presentation
(40 units)
K2 Programming Concepts (130 units) K16* Information Processing and Presentation
(40 units)
E1# Computer Networks (30 units)
Notes:
Contents of learning elements marked with * such as “properties and functions of usual components” in K1 and
“concepts of database” in K16 are rarely taught at the primary level. Students’ prior knowledge in these modules is presumed to be very similar.
The learning element marked with # is an extension module which focuses on computer networks for schools that wish to provide additional learning elements in their Computer Literacy lessons.
Other contents such as “ideas of a stored program” in K2, and “applications of IT” in K16 are often taught in some primary schools with computer lessons. Hence students’ abilities may vary a lot. Teachers may need to spend more time on (i) catching up with the fundamentals for those who have less learning experience; or (ii) providing more challenging tasks to stretch the talented students’ potential.
Schools are recommended to allocate at least 30% of the lesson time of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) knowledge context at junior secondary level to teach programming.
125
Figure 15 Selection of Modules under Design and Technology and Allocation of Lesson Time
Level 1 period per week/cycle (about 2.5% of the total lesson
time)
(assuming that there are 100 units of lesson time per year)
2 periods per week/cycle (about 5% of the total
lesson time)
(assuming that there are 200 units of lesson time per year)
3 periods per week/cycle (about 7.5% of the total lesson
time)
(assuming that there are 300 units of lesson time per year) Secondary 1 Choose one of the following
combinations
K3Materials and Resources (24.2 units) K4 Structures and Mechanism
(24.2 units) K5 Tools and Equipment
(24.2 units) K6 Production Process
(115.4 units) K8 Concepts of System
(6 units) K9Application of Systems
(6 units)
K3 Materials and Resources (26.4 units) K4 Structures and Mechanisms
(26.4 units) K5 Tools and Equipment
(26.4 units) K6 Production Process
(125.4 units) K8 Concepts of System
(6.6 units) K9Application of Systems
(6.6 units) E2 Material Processing
(36.3 units) E6 System Integration
(39.3 units) E7 Control and Automation
(6.6 units) Combination
A (Materials
and Production)
Combination B (Structures and
Systems)
K3 Materials and Resources (23.5 units) K5Tools and Equipment (11.8 units) K6 Production Process (64.7 units)
K4 Structures and Mechanisms
(25 units) K5 Tools and Equipment
(12.5 units) K6 Production Process
(50 units) K8 Concepts of System
(6.25 units) K9 Application of Systems
(6.25 units) Secondary 2 Choose one of the following
combinations
K3 Materials and Resources (15.2 units) K4 Structures and Mechanisms
(45.4 units) K5 Tools and Equipment
(21.2 units) K6 Production Process
(91.0 units) K8 Concepts of system
(3 units) K9 Application of Systems
(24.2 units)
K3 Materials and Resources (15.3 units) K4 Structures and Mechanisms
(45.9 units)
K5 Tools and Equipment (21.3 units) K6 Production Process
(91.8 units) K8 Concepts of system
(3 units) K9 Application of Systems
(24.6 units) Plus one of the following combinations:
Combination A (Materials
and Production)
Combination B (Structures and
Systems)
K3 Materials and Resources (14.8 units) K5 Tools and Equipment (20.5 units) K6 Production Process (64.7 units)
K4 Structures and Mechanisms
(46.9 units) K6 Production Process
(25 units) K8 Concepts of system
(3.1 units) K9 Application of Systems
(25 units)
Combination A (Materials and Production)
Combination B (Structures and
Systems) E2Material
Processing (24.6 units) E3 Project Management (18.3 units) E6 System Integration (55.2 units)
E7 Control and Automation (98.1 units)
126 Level 1 period per week/cycle
(about 2.5% of the total lesson time) (assuming that there are 100 units of lesson time per year)
2 periods per week/cycle (about 5% of the total
lesson time) (assuming that there are
200 units of lesson time per year)
3 periods per week/cycle (about 7.5% of the total lesson time)
(assuming that there are 300 units of lesson time per year)
Secondary 3 Choose one of the following combinations
K3 Materials and Resources (9 units) K4 Structures and
Mechanisms
(15.2 units) K5 Tools and Equipment
(24.2 units) K6 Production Process
(130.4 units) K8 Concepts of system (3 units) K9 Application of Systems
(18.2 units)
K3 Materials and Resources
(10.5/9/9.3 units) K4 Structures and Mechanisms
(17.1/15/15.3 units) K5 Tools and Equipment
(27.6/24/24.6 units) K6 Production Process
(148.2/129/131.4 units) K8 Concepts of system
(3.6/3/3 units) K9 Application of Systems
(20.7/18/18.3 units) Plus one of the following combinations:
Combination A (Materials
and Production)
Combination B (Structures and Systems) K3 Materials
and Resources
(8.9 units) K5 Tools and Equipment (23.5 units) K6 Production Process (67.6 units)
K4 Structures and Mechanisms
(15.6 units) K6
Production Process
(62.5 units) K8 Concepts of system (3.1 units) K9
Application of Systems (18.8 units)
E2 Material Processing (44.7 units) E3 Project Management (27.6 units)
E6 System Integration (102 units)
E7 Control and Automation (98.1 units)
127
Figure 16 Implementation of Modules under Home Economics/Technology and Living and Allocation of Lesson Time
Level
Half Year Implementation Mode Whole Year Implementation Mode
2 periods per week/cycle (about 2.5% of the total lesson time) (assuming that there are 100 units of
lesson time per year)
2 periods per week/cycle (about 5% of the total lesson time) (assuming that there are 200 units of
lesson time per year)
3 periods per week/cycle (about 7.5% of the total lesson time) (assuming that there are 300 units of
lesson time per year) Secondary 1 K10 Food and Nutrition (20 units)
K11 Food Preparation and Processing (21 units) K12 Fabric and Clothing Construction (21 units) K13 Fashion and Dress Sense (10 units) K14 Family Living (9 units)
K15 Home Management and Technology (19 units)
K10 Food and Nutrition (40 units)
K11 Food Preparation and Processing (45 units) K12 Fabric and Clothing Construction (45 units) K13 Fashion and Dress Sense (21 units) K14 Family Living (9 units)
K15 Home Management and Technology (40 units)
K10 Food and Nutrition (46 units)
K11 Food Preparation and Processing (76 units) K12 Fabric and Clothing Construction (73 units) K13 Fashion and Dress Sense (30 units) K14 Family Living (9 units)
K15 Home Management and Technology (48 units) E8 Fabric and Clothing Construction ( 6 units) E9 Fashion and Dress Sense (6 units)
E10 Home Management and Technology (6 units) Secondary 2 K10 Food and Nutrition (21 units)
K11 Food Preparation and Processing (21 units) K12 Fabric and Clothing Construction (22 units) K13 Fashion and Dress Sense (9 units)
K14 Family Living (9 units)
K15 Home Management and Technology (18 units)
K10 Food and Nutrition (38 units)
K11 Food Preparation and Processing (44 units) K12 Fabric and Clothing Construction (46 units) K13 Fashion and Dress Sense (21 units) K14 Family Living (9 units)
K15 Home Management and Technology (42 units)
K10 Food and Nutrition (46 units)
K11 Food Preparation and Processing (76 units) K12 Fabric and Clothing Construction (72 units) K13 Fashion and Dress Sense (30 units) K14 Family Living ( 9 units)
K15 Home Management and Technology ( 49 units) E8 Fabric and Clothing Construction (6 units) E9 Fashion and Dress Sense (6 units)
E10 Home Management and Technology (6 units) Secondary 3 K10 Food and Nutrition (22 units)
K11 Food Preparation and Processing (19 units) K12 Fabric and Clothing Construction (22 units) K13 Fashion and Dress Sense (9 units)
K14 Family Living (9 units)
K15 Home Management and Technology (19 units)
K10 Food and Nutrition (38 units)
K11 Food Preparation and Processing (44 units) K12 Fabric and Clothing Construction (46 units) K13 Fashion and Dress Sense (21 units) K14 Family Living (9 units)
K15 Home Management and Technology (42 units)
K10 Food and Nutrition (46 units)
K11 Food Preparation and Processing (76 units) K12 Fabric and Clothing Construction (72 units) K13 Fashion and Dress Sense (30 units) K14 Family Living (9 units)
K15 Home Management and Technology (49 units) E8 Fabric and Clothing Construction (6 units) E9 Fashion and Dress Sense (6 units)
E10 Home Management and Technology (6 units)
128